Am I the only one here who is a bit tired of Nintendo releasing these half-assed 2D Mario games? Sure they are fun to play, but they have the same problems as the Call of Duty franchise. They are all exactly the same, with little to no “new” in them. and they sell like hot-cakes. They all have the same objective, same mechanics, same environments, same music and graphic styles.

Now I get it, if they change it too much then it won’t be NSMB, I get that. But look at SMB1, then SMB3. See how much they differ, but still contain the core gameplay? Why can’t they do that with NSMB? The core gameplay is established and I want them to improve upon it with real NEW additions. New power-ups doesn’t really cut it. That’s like saying new weapons in COD make it a new experience.

NSMB2 is why I’m getting all enraged. The coin mechanic is just there, and seems like it is lazily thrown together and collecting 1 million of them gives you a really disappointing reward, but it’s still 2D Mario which makes it okay right? -_- Now, I’m probably wrong, but NSMB is developed by lower-leveled teams (aka. n00bs) and they want them to work on something simple, but please, do some real effort for New Super Mario Bros. U. Don’t cheap out.

All I’m saying is that I don’t want to collect the same 3 star coins anymore, or collect more coins. Try something different. Also, nostalgia is nice, but don’t rely too much on it. I get it, the Raccoon Mario is nice, but there isn’t much purpose.

What do you guys and gals think? Do you feel the same way as me? Or do you feel that NSMB shouldn’t change and doesn’t need anything else? I’m interested. THANKS!

You can’t really change what the game is. You run, jump, collect stuff, done.

I also really see no “Notable” changes from SMB1 to SMB3. They only really added more power-ups and more “bowsers.” Otherwise pretty much the same as SMB1

CoD is the same exact way. You run, shoot, win, done.

And actually adding new guns to CoD does make it a “newer” experience because they all handle differently, thus people would play differently and have to learn them. Cause it’s a game based on.. guns..

Obviously this doesn’t seem to bother the masses (doesn’t bother me). and I’m not sure if you’ve played the newer call of duties they have a good bit of newer features. Especially the upcoming Black Ops 2. Also take into account Nintendo does not release a game of the same franchise every year.

Well I’ve never played any of the games so I can comment from that angle. But my question would be, what should they do then? Not to get too confrontational but…it’s easy to say “just do something different”. What would they do? How would they implement it? Would it work in a Mario game? Would fans like or hate it?

As an example, look at the Mario Party franchise. Lots of people were saying how it was starting to get stale, and that they should change it up a bit. Well they did that with Mario Party 9, except everyone hated the changes.

That aside, I don’t look at New Super Mario Bros as a series that would even try to change it up too much. That’s what the main series is for. I would put it with the likes of Smash Bros. or Mario Kart or even Mario Party.

EDIT: @Nightmare: Well on a very basic level you are right; but SMB3 also had not only more powerups; but an inventory that you could use before you enter a level. So there were some changes; but the core mechanics were the same.

But, that was really a very minor change. Even then it really didn’t change gameplay all too much.

Otherwise you have a great point. Mario party 9 is the odd ball now, and is hated for it’s changes. Once you’ve established a thing for that long it’s not exactly good to change it all the time. If it’s worked for so long why alter it?

Treyarch has this mind set with developing their bit of the CoD franchise. Sticking with the IW Engine 3.0. While Infinity Ward continually tries to “Update” their engine. Which as you see with the modern warfare games there’s typically atleast 2x as many complaints for those then the Treyarch games from my experiences.

Slykat was just telling us the other day that the 2d platformers sell better worldwide, thats why they keep making it. And the reason for that is simple; the more casual gamers don’t want to invest in the more intensive 3d platformers like galaxy, which, while not terribly difficult, do require a bit more finesse than simply “jump + walk right”. They can afford to half-ass it because that crowd really doesn’t care enough to complain like long-time Nintendo fans do.

Maybe not change the game as a whole, but build more upon what is already there. Like more/better/different themed worlds and level gimmicks. Build upon Super Mario World’s world map design, more item minigames like Mario 3. More enemies then the standard goomba, koopas.

How about if the enemies can take your power up? Like if a mushroom comes out of a box. a goomba can run into it and grow bigger? Or if a Koopa can get Fire Flower and shoot fireballs out you.

And give Bowser a break, how about a new villain? Better designed boss battles too. (The bosses in NSMB are pathetic) New graphics? Instead of flat looking 2D plastic, make real 3D environments, or have it hand-drawn.

Make the 3 star coins do more then unlocking levels. Make the coins you collect actually mean something like item shops, or special unlockables. And most of all, more challenge and thought into the level designs. The cannon levels are nice in NSMB2, but you can just fly over all of the obstacles.

Changes like these can make a NSMB game stand out and not be so similar. That’s my 2 cents. (or 3)

I know that casuals love 2D Mario, but it is not right to half-ass a product to please them. Nintendo is the leader in innovation in gaming, this is not good for them, even if it does make them swim in cash.

I wouldn’t mind seeing a new art style but, at the same time I’d feel hand-drawn or anything then it’s established look {Which doesn’t look like plastic} would be an odd change. Mario has always been a cartoony looking game. Why do you also assume they “half-ass” it?

And if they introduce a new villain what could Mario possibly be so motivated to stop that they could be doing that Bowser hasn’t done already?

And there already is a fire-balling shooting koopa. Which that is Fire Bros..

You know, I’ve had some of those same thoughts before but…I also am very much a nostalgia gamer myself. Not all the time, but if I’m in the mood for a sidescrolling Mario game, that’s what I’m in the mood for. If I want something different then I play that. I’m not trying to tell gamers who want more innovation in Mario to suck it up, just wanted to speak as someone who actually does just plain like sidescrollers some days. And if you sometimes game with that approach, then it is kind of nice to have a new one of those every once in a while; you don’t have the levels crazy memorized but it’s still the gameplay you like.

Also, some of the things you’ve mentioned have you tried playing Mario RPG or any of the Paper Mario games? Those ones do let you do things with coins, such as item shops, and do change around other mechanics. Might be worth checking out if you haven’t before. Purely my own opinion but I fell in love with the switching between 2D and 3D in Super Paper Mario; I thought that was a neat way to change it up but also give the sidescroller feel.

The sidescrollers of Mario are supposed to be a game you can just sit down and play without issue. It’s not supposed to be that complex, if you want that play the RPGs those have all you’re asking for. And having most of the newer power-ups already makes the sidescroller games off-balance and having enemies with ‘Super’ versions would be even more off-balancing. Plus that’d break Mario canon. [Only Mario, Luigi, Peach, Toad, Wario, Waluigi and Bowser can use Power-Ups]. Goombas although being able to use ‘The Boot’ is more a vehicle. Along with the super-koopas that’s a trade-off from their shell which gives them extra chance to get you instead of being one-shotted.

I don’t really have any problem with the NSMB games and I certainly wouldn’t say they’re half-assed. They’re fun game that are extremely well designed, intuitive and polished. Sure the artstyle is pretty bland and the music isn’t the best, but the core gameplay is superb and thats what matters. Small incremental updates and additions to the gameplay are just fine, no need to add pointless gimmicks to the game like enemies stealing abilities.That could potentially ruin the series great pacing.

Speaking of artstyle, while NSMB U uses the same artstyle, from the videos and previews I’ve seen I can safely say that the game looks gorgeous. The artstyle (I’ve said that wordtoo many times) seems to work perfectly because of the Wii U’s power. I’ve heard many others say the same thing too.

Yes, the core gameplay is superb, but the rest seems lacking. I’m probably expecting way too much after the amazingness that is Super Mario World, but I stand by my opinion. I’ll get NSMB2 eventually, most likely used. All I’m saying is that each NSMB game is too similar to each other with little differentiation.

I understand what you’re saying but I don’t really agree. There were plenty of changes between NSMB and NSMB Wii. Co-op, new enemies, lots of secrets, more challenge and all that fun stuff. I haven’t played 2 since it’s not out in Europe yet, but I’m sure theres plenty of new additions to the game that’ll help differentiate itself from previous games and I’m sure NSMBU will do the same.

Also as others have said, theres no need to bog down the game with loads of additions to the gameplay that don’t make sense.

I’ll agree with you though on the fact that Super Mario World is a far better game. Same with Yoshi’s Island, which is the best 2d platformer evar!

I’d admit I’ve been too harsh on NSMB2, but I might get it because it is 2D Mario on a handheld, and I play 2D Mario to pass the time, but I wanted more out it then just plain old NSMB. It’s probably just me, but I’m still saying that NSMB2 had a lot of potential, and it didn’t deliver and a lot of people agree with me. Don’t hate me for my statements. Thanks.

This is something that I’ve been thinking about a lot ever since I watched through Yahtzee Croshaw’s Zero Punctuation (he’s famous for bashing Nintendo).

I absolutely loved NSMBW, but after playing it through it’s hard for me to get excited about the other new Mario games. For a real platformer fan the new stages and items might be absolute gold, but personally I can’t help but to feel that I’ve already experienced most of what these games have to offer. I don’t really dislike Nintendo for doing this, the games ARE still good and apparently profitable so why fix something that isn’t broken? But I think it’ll be a long time before I buy another Mario game, hopefully it’ll surprise me.

I’m not saying i disagree with you but plainly put you want the action rpg like layout, you got paper mario. You want happy side scroller action you get super mario brothers, you want out there adventure that is 3d etc you get games like galaxy. It’s not broken, people buy tons, and do not really complain because changes deter from it even being mario brothers essentially. Smart adjusts and upgrades are changed and honestly its the typical. The forumla translates well, and they have in bits upgraded and changed bits, but on top of that tests and changes prove bar none people like the formula. I agree in little bits small things could be changed but the games are fun dynamic and continue the basis. Everyone should have an opinion if they didnt we’d be lost in the masses my friend. Honestly i think of the biggest Big N problems is the reliance on old icons and formulas that dont deter for fears. No one in the industry wants to branch out because honestly its far too risky, costs do not measure and more. The industry is hard to break into and has become a machine, and icons should not be changed anytime soon, as they try to cover all the aspects, and i think mario is covered well in that respect.

except for those 5 billion creative platformers made every god damn month by indie devs. Nope, you can’t change a 2d platformer. That’s why the American version of SMB2 was different. And the handheld games. And Yoshi’s Island.

Clearly, your point is irrelevent beyond “Nintendo makes more money” based on some apparent laws that a video game series has to abide (tell that to Square Enix, their heads will explode :D ). I’m not asking for them to reinvent the wheel, I’m just asking for some effort. They could have literally been like “hey let’s make New Super Mario Bros. again, but this time Mario 2 stuff” and I probably would have been fine with that. That’s all I ask.

I would not have as much of a problem with this since the game clearly mainly exists to get Nintendo successfully selling retail games online ASAP, but the last 3D Mario was basically just NSMB with slight 3d gameplay and Nintendo really has no reason or motivation to make a non-NSMB platformer at all.

@kkslider555 thats not what anyones really saying at all especially the laws of abiding. Square enix has heard it and used it, and ive even done work them. Their head would not explore. They make quite an effort in programming design and more. We cant please the world and we do not try. There are some changes here and there but you would have to wait and see, and 3d has plenty of extras and different game manipulation, but thats fine. So your saying you want mario 2 stuff rehashed? Lot of thats already integrated and rehashed in past and current, so you already have that. Or do you just want a direct copy?

I don’t get what you mean? Hasn’t this series always been primarily the same just reinvented for each new console? I don’t see how you can improve or update it other than the ways in which they have. If they change it too much it wouldn’t be the same and would alienate the fans. I personally don’t care for this series and normally avoid it I get bored by it. I need my 3D mario games I always feel like they are more of a challange and less monotonious compared to super mario bros. So what I’m getting at is I don’t really see your reason for complaint? What exactly were you expecting?

I was expecting this! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75YC4zblrCQ ….I kid, but honestly I was expecting these new 2D Mario games to build upon what was established in the past and make something truly groundbreaking, but….it’s just a simple, nostalgia based, spin-off series, or as the Sony/Microsoft fanboys say, cheap/cash-grabs/milk/WII HAZ NO GAYMZ/Games for the sheeple. I do enjoy NSMB games, but now they’re getting stale, even after only 4 games. And I think that they’re not worth $40-$50.

(ALSO I’m probably the only person who enjoys the NSMB soundtrack. It’s fun and catchy, exactly how Mario music should sound like. <3)

If you really like the NSMB series, great! I don’t think you’re unintelligent, or simple Nintendo “fagboys”. All I’m saying is that these games don’t fully do it for me. 3D Marios are the way to go nowadays. (Super Mario 3D Land really shows that, that game is really great if you haven’t tried it.)

But if the next 3D Mario is Super Mario Galaxy 3, then I can safely say that they don’t care anymore, and play it safe to please the fans/easy money. (Okay that’s a bit too harsh :3)